Is Paris the culinary capital of the world? It is when you eat where the locals do

PARIS

Restaurants that Paris Locals Love

Is Paris the culinary capital of the world? It is when you eat where the locals do

Few nationalities can beat the French when it comes to title of culinary connoiseurs, they have made the appreciation of the finer things in life an art. But head to its capital, Paris, and dining can be a hit-and-miss experience. Despite its reputation as one of the great dining destinations of the world, its all too easy to fall into over-priced or over-hyped, which is why we asked our network of Paris locals to share the places they love best.

Romain Staropoli, Photographer and Film maker

La Verre Volé

“My favourite restaurant in Paris is called La Verre Volé. It’s very wine focused, it’s actually a wine shop with a restaurant attached to it – in French, it’s called cave-a-manger. Their natural selection is very eclectic, the chef is Japanese, it’s noisy and lively and that’s what makes the charm of the place. The menu is very simple, with plats du jour according to what the chef finds freshest in the morning market. Its an ideal place to bring a friend, a date or even your parents. Prices are reasonable and the location is very close to the Canal Saint Martin, which brings a nice Parisian feeling”.

This is one of Paris’ best food and wine pilgrimages. Raquel Carena offers incredible bistro cooking, from very delicate to hearty, while her husband serves great wines by small independent producers. You’ll be sitting next to famous chefs intermixed with locals and foodies alike. You might not get a smile from the staff but you’ll have a big one on your face. Excellent address to bring a date who is serious about French cuisine.

3 rue Jouye-Rouve, 75020

Athier Mousawi – Contemporary Artist

Deux Fois Plus De Piment ​

“Well, I live just behind Place des Vosges, so there’s obviously loads of awesome places in the neighbourhood. For me though, my favourite is probably a Szechuan restaurant called Deux Fois Plus De Piment (Two Times More Pepper) on Rue Saint Sebastian… I love it because of the flavours and the opportunity to test out my frenchinois (like franglais, but with french and chinese) It’s pretty small, not the best ambience but honestly, the best food! Everytime I order the aubergine in fish sauce, the cumin potatoes, szechuan cabbage, szechuan chicken with peanuts, cold cucumber in szechuan sauce and a side of rice. You can pick a level of spice between 0 and 5… 1 is enough for most people… and 4 is insane.. I usually go for 3, and ive never seen anyone eat a 5!

33 Rue Saint-Sébastien, 75011 Paris, France

John Whelan – Owner of cocktail bar Le Fou and Deisgner

Chez Omar

My favorite restaurant in Paris. The best couscous in the city with the most charismatic service in the most beautiful old-school French brasserie on Rue de Bretagne (Marais). Getting a table (no reservations, first come first served) is almost impossible during Fashion Week.

(Rue de Bretagne)

Le Bouclard (Place de Clichy)

Crazy proper old bistrot run by Michel Bonnemort, an absolute mountain of a man. When you taste the food you can see how he got to that size. Unbelievable amounts of fat and butter, but so ridiculously tasty. French cuisine at its old-school best. There is often a dog running in between your legs and you can smoke if the owner allows likes you. He literally doesn’t give a s**t, and for that I have been a faithful patron. A serious in-the-know option for the Montmartre set.

Vivant (Rue des Petites Ecuries)

Much trendier than the previous two, it’s run by an up-and-coming young chef, a friend of mine called Pierre Touitou (son of APC founder Jean Touitou). It’s a tiny corridor of a restaurant and Pierre cooks pretty much whatever he feels like on the day, with a great wine list and very attractive clientele. It almost has a nightclub vibe which is impressive. Great selection of music by Pierre and his mates.

Caroline Templeton

Loulou’s

My favourite restaurant is LouLous, just opened by Ben Cassan. Beautiful interiors, delicious food and funky music, cosy intimate tables, exceptional view on the Tuileries and a sexy crowd.

Rasmus Michelou – Entrepreneur

The Bureau

The Bureau is a co-working space hosting a restaurant called The Café that transports you back to the 40s, with its very high ceilings, wooden walls, exotic plants and custom-made pool table.Expect excellent Italian flavoured food and maybe the best cappuccino in Paris. Its conveniently located in the 8th arrondissement, so a great place to do some work or have a business meeting.

Fernanda Dal Forno – Brazilian Fashion Model

Sardegna a Tavola, La Mangerie & Mama Shelter

Can I pick 3? I love Sardegna a Tavola for its delicious authentic Italian, La Mangerie for its French finger food and as a great place to start the evening with friends, and Mamma Shelter – it’s a great restaurant and has a cool ambiance.

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